• SPENCER CHARNAS at Astronomicon 7

    # HAPPENS’ own Ryan J. Downey moderates the panels at Astronomicon in Livonia, Michigan. This year’s guests included Ice Nine Kills frontman Spencer Charnas.

    Like the previous six (and 6.5), Astronomicon 7 is put on by Jamie Madrox and Monoxide, aka Twiztid, and their team at Majik Ninja Entertainment, including MNE co-founder George Vlahakis and Michael Winegar.

    Charnas was featured on Twiztid’s rock radio hit “Envy, ” which broke into the Active Rock and Mainstream Rock Airplay Top 40 charts in 2021.

    At Astronomicon 7, held April 12 – 14,  Twizitd surprise announced the forthcoming release of a two-song rock 7″ single and music video for “Dance on My Grave.” 

    Earlier today, Ice Nine Kills announced a second co-headlining run with In This Moment. 

  • NECK DEEP Backstage at London's Ally Pally

    NECK DEEP receives gold record plaques from members of the Hopeless Records team backstage at their sold-out show at London, UK’s Alexandra Palace, on Thursday, March 28, 2024.

    Back Row: Mark James (Publicist, Turn the Page), Matt West (Guitar), Matt Powles (Drums), Ben Barlow (Singer), Eric Tobin (EVP A&R, Hopeless), Ian Harrison (GM, Hopeless), Tom Doyle (Promotions, Hopeless), and Nav Sidhu (Hopeless UK Label Manager). 
     
    Front Row: Josh Epple (VP Streaming, Hopeless), Seb Barlow (Bass), and Sam Bowden (Guitar). 
     
    (Photo courtesy of Ian Harrison) 

  • Bruce Dickinson at WonderCon

     

    #HAPPENS own Ryan J. Downey moderated a Q&A with legendary Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson at WonderCon in Anaheim, California, Saturday, March 30, 2024. Bruce was on-hand to talk about the comic book tie-in series connected to his new solo album, The Mandrake Project. 

    Pictured are Downey, Bruce, visionary comic artist and illustrator Bill Sienkiewicz, Z2 Comics editor Rantz Hoseley, and Z2 President Josh Bernstein. 

    Z2 have published a number of graphic novels with different rock artists in recent years, including collaborations with Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motörhead, Pantera, Type O Negative, Joan Jett, NOTHING MORE, Halestorm, Beartooth, Ice Nine Kills, Andy Black, Spiritbox, and dozens more. 

    (Photo credit: Chris Fanous)

  • Cory Brennan (far right), longtime manager for Slipknot and founder of 5B Artist Management, shared this excellent photo taken in Los Angeles during GRAMMY weekend. Slipknot members in attendance at the GRAMMYs this year included Michael Pfaff (and his wife, Anna), Alessandro “V-Man” Venturella, Shawn “Clown” Crahan (and his wife, Chantel), and Sid Wilson (and his partner, Kelly Osbourne), accompanied by late bassist Paul Gray’s daughter, October. 

    On Instagram, Brennan wrote: “Life comes full circle: to be at the Sunset Marquis with Slipknot, their families and friends (including the beautiful October Gray and my daughter, Marley) means the world to me. October’s father, Paul Gray, was an incredible man, bass player, writer and co-founder of Slipknot. He loved the Sunset Marquis Hotel…so many great memories, stories and emotions came to my mind while standing there. My wife and I also had one of the best days of our lives 18 years ago when we found out she was pregnant with Marley while staying at the Marquis when Slipknot was nominated for their first Grammy in 2006.” 

    (Photo credit: B.K. Barone / Instagram)